This invention relates to a cross car beam having adjustable location mounting structure for attaching various automotive components.
In the prior art, cross car beams are utilized in vehicles having a so-called "cab forward" design to provide additional rigidity against lateral impacts. Typically, a cross car beam is formed of metal, such as aluminum, and extends between the door pillars in the forward end of the cab of a vehicle. The cross car beam provides rigidity against the cab crushing upon a lateral impact.
Many accessories are attached to the cross car beam in the prior art. Energy absorption members are welded to the cross car beam, and within the instrument panel of the vehicle. Energy absorption members are placed adjacent the area where occupant's knees are likely to be driven in the event of a collision. The energy absorption members serve to slow and protect the occupant's legs in the event of such a collision. In the prior art, these energy absorption members have been attached to dedicated locations on the cross car beam. Typically, the location where the driver's legs are likely to be, differs from that of the passenger. In a typical vehicle design, the center line of the vehicle cab does not form a symmetric break between the locations for the driver and the passenger. More typically, the passenger is given a somewhat greater portion of the space. Thus, the location for the energy absorption members is not symmetric about the center line.
For that reason, in the prior art having dedicated locations for the energy absorption members, there have been necessarily distinct cross car beams for right hand and left hand drive applications. This increases the number of parts which are necessary.
The cross car beam is also often utilized to mount other features such as the instrument panel cluster, or passenger airbag module. Again, these features have typically been mounted at dedicated mount locations. The prior art has thus necessarily required distinct cross car beams for both left and right hand applications, as well as for different vehicle cab designs.